United Methodist News RSS Feed

Music leaders tackle ‘great divide’ in worship

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 10:21:00 -0500

Older church members often prefer the comfort of a traditional worship service. But presenters at the United Methodist-sponsored Fusion 2026 conference talked about modern options that might attract more young people.

United Methodist elected to worldwide role

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 09:12:00 -0500

“I am driven by passion to support, encourage, empower women and girls and being the voice of the voiceless.”

Women put faith into action across Zimbabwe

Mon, 05 Oct 2026 09:10:00 -0500

United Methodists and other Methodist women are responding to drug abuse, violence, trauma and poverty by offering practical support to women, girls and families.

Former lieutenant governor suspended from ministry

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 14:05:13 -0500

The Rev. Dale Caldwell resigned from elected office and now faces a United Methodist complaint over accusations of inappropriate behavior with women and ethics violations. He denies the allegations.

An invitation to reflect on the denomination’s future

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 10:02:17 -0500

Two participants in the coming Leadership Gathering raise questions about The United Methodist Church’s structure, leadership and evangelism that could help frame discussions about the denomination’s future.

Pastor’s ministry had length and depth

Fri, 02 Oct 2026 09:26:00 -0500

The Rev. Lamar Smith worked into his 90s as a United Methodist pastor, touching lives all along the way.

Countdown begins to Leadership Gathering

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 10:26:53 -0500

Organizers are providing resources to help all United Methodists engage with the gathering intended to help faithfully reimagine the denomination’s future.

Be brave enough to let the light find you

Wed, 30 Sep 2026 09:05:00 -0500

A United Methodist lay member shares how a former pastor’s honesty about depression allowed her to realize she didn’t have to be healed to find a home at church.

United Methodists lose homes in Congo fire

Tue, 29 Sep 2026 10:04:48 -0500

In a region already hit by insecurity and an Ebola outbreak, The United Methodist Church is scrambling to shelter those left homeless and assessing other needs.

Atlanta: Connection across difference

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 10:06:17 -0500

The UM News podcast “Signs of Life” returns with the story of two congregations in Atlanta that embarked on a study of a Howard Thurman book. One congregation predominately black and the other white, participants explore together a story of new understanding and relationship.

UM News Podcast Season One

Mon, 28 Sep 2026 09:48:00 -0500

This Fall on season one of "Signs of Life," an original podcast from UM News.

Walking the journey of calling

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 13:09:38 -0500

The United Methodist Board of Higher Education and Ministry’s EXPLORATION offers young people space for discernment and holy wonder.

Louisiana Conference invests $15M in churches

Fri, 25 Sep 2026 10:12:13 -0500

As part of its new Jubilee Initiative, the Louisiana Conference is helping local churches to pay off debt, fund ministries, expand staffing and more.

Court cases test United Methodist governance

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 12:31:03 -0500

The Baltimore-Washington Conference filed a federal lawsuit against a church to defend The United Methodist Church’s trust clause. Meanwhile, developments continue in the Texas lawsuit involving Highland Park United Methodist.

Church builds on Ebola response in Congo

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 10:47:53 -0500

The United Methodist Church’s health coordination team is constructing a 50-bed treatment center and reaching thousands through a large-scale community response.

Suicide is a public health crisis. How can faith communities respond?

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 17:32:30 -0500

Faith leaders need help in recognizing the signs that a parishioner may be contemplating suicide. To help address this need, the E. Stanley Jones Foundation and the United Methodist Board of Global Ministries have developed a free online training course for clergy and lay leaders.

How small congregations can flourish

Mon, 21 Sep 2026 11:45:05 -0500

Small churches are an asset for The United Methodist Church, argues a new report from Wesleyan Impact Partners. The report profiles nine U.S. congregations that are outsized in their community impact.

Church expands access to clean water in Liberia

Fri, 18 Sep 2026 09:41:00 -0500

Through its Water for Life initiative, the Liberia Conference is installing wells and sanitation facilities throughout the country to help reduce waterborne diseases and improve safety and equity for women and girls.

Small-group resource crosses language, cultural boundaries

Wed, 16 Sep 2026 10:15:12 -0500

An English edition of a Korean United Methodist small-group curriculum on Jesus’ parables is expanding its reach to English-speaking churches, bilingual families and congregations beyond the Korean community.

Hispanic-Latino caucus reviews mission, structure

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 14:38:32 -0500

MARCHA sets priorities at annual meeting, including reviewing bylaws, strengthening ties with Latin America, advocating for immigrant communities and developing the Elías Galván Endowment Fund.

James Laney had big impact on Africa University

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 10:50:46 -0500

The late pastor and missionary was at the helm of choosing where the pan-African university would be built, and his network proved invaluable.

Church finds joy in bread, coffee and communion

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 09:17:58 -0500

Members of Mora United Methodist and their pastor reach beyond the church’s walls to connect with neighbors.

Remembering 9/11 at John Street church

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 05:11:56 -0500

A longtime member and church trustee looks back on visiting the United Methodist church in Lower Manhattan on the day of the Sept. 11 attacks and how United Methodists responded.

Meeting puts focus on Salvadoran Methodism

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 13:39:39 -0500

World Methodist Council gathering strengthens ties between the Evangelical Methodist Church of El Salvador and the worldwide Methodist community while increasing the church’s visibility.

African bishops celebrate growth, ecumenism

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 11:15:09 -0500

United Methodist episcopal leaders in Africa gathered in Liberia to discuss regionalization, stewardship, sustainability and other issues affecting the continent.

Methodist family spotlights justice, peace, joy

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 09:10:19 -0500

United Methodists joined with other members of World Methodist Council at a meeting in El Salvador where they explored how to work for justice around the globe. They also took lessons from the martyred Archbishop Óscar Romero.

Summit probes the danger and benefits of AI

Wed, 09 Sep 2026 09:09:00 -0500

More than 500 church leaders learned about and debated the merits of artificial intelligence at the AI and Church Summit Aug. 24-27 in Nashville.

2026 North Katanga Annual Conference

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 12:25:11 -0500

July 5-8, Kamina, Congo

Getting beyond the traditionalism of liberalism

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 09:58:57 -0500

Pastor urges United Methodist leaders to take tradition seriously when they meet for the Leadership Gathering in October.

Church keeps UK Zimbabweans connected to home

Fri, 04 Sep 2026 09:03:00 -0500

The United Methodist Church’s growing United Kingdom District demonstrates that when faith crosses borders, it does not lose its roots.

Bishop Mutti, leader in AIDS fight, dies

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 15:58:03 -0500

Retired Bishop Albert Frederick “Fritz” Mutti, alongside his late wife, advocated for LGBTQ inclusion and helped establish the United Methodist Global AIDS Fund. The couple’s tireless advocacy came out of great personal loss.

Grants available to help churches switch to solar

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 13:20:00 -0500

Up to 20 churches will be selected for the UMC Solar and Battery Pilot Program. Select participating churches will be invited to apply for an UMCOR grant up to $100,000 to support their projects.

2026 East Congo Annual Conference

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 09:15:47 -0500

July 21-26, Kindu, Congo

Churches go solar, putting creation care into action

Wed, 02 Sep 2026 09:10:00 -0500

United Methodist churches in Georgia are jumping on the solar power train, helped by a tax break from the Biden administration and a nonprofit that’s showing they can care for the environment while also reducing their electric bill.

Creation celebration added to church year

Mon, 31 Aug 2026 12:29:06 -0500

United Methodists are joining with Christians across traditions in adding a shared feast day and season that focuses on God, the Creator. The season coincides with an ecumenical focus on addressing climate change.

‘Prayerful witness’ offered for immigrants

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 11:10:52 -0500

United Methodists in New Jersey gathered outside Delaney Hall detention center to show Christian love, concern and solidarity to detainees and visiting loved ones.

Churches mobilize after deadly Nepal-Tibet floods

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 10:51:07 -0500

Churches and mission partners are responding after catastrophic floods along the Nepal-Tibet border, as Asian Christian leaders call for prayer, humanitarian support and sustained solidarity with affected communities.

An upswell of joy

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 09:21:00 -0500

Decades after enduring painful events as a closeted teen, writer Tammy Evans recounts feeling buoyed by her United Methodist pastor celebrating Pride.

United Methodists respond to South African migration crisis

Fri, 28 Aug 2026 09:06:00 -0500

The United Methodist Church supports thousands of undocumented migrants fleeing anti-foreigner protests in South Africa.

Conference confronts cyber theft with faith, resolve

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 15:11:45 -0500

The New England Conference is working with federal and local investigators after the cybercrime earlier this month. Conference leaders also are taking steps to help fellow United Methodists prevent wire fraud.

On human dignity: People are ends in themselves

Wed, 26 Aug 2026 09:28:00 -0500

The teaching in Pope Leo XIV’s recent encyclical has strong similarities with the ideas that drove the abolitionist movement in America.

Equipping Hispanic-Latino youth for leadership

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 17:44:32 -0500

For more than two decades, the Hispanic Youth Leadership Academy has answered a call to help young people explore leadership, vocation and Christian service.

Church sets the table to connect beyond its walls

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 17:24:31 -0500

A Korean pastor and chef has turned his passion for his native cuisine into a successful outreach ministry for a church start-up.

Church giving shows signs of stability

Mon, 24 Aug 2026 13:43:34 -0500

The board of the United Methodist Church’s finance agency heard a midyear review on the denomination’s finances.

Highland Park leaders escalate response to lawsuit

Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:09:58 -0500

Following the conference’s lawsuit over church governance, the Highland Park United Methodist church council declared it no longer recognizes the authority of its bishop and conference.

Zimbabwe circuit offers model for evangelism, growth

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 13:05:20 -0500

Magamba Circuit is steadily attracting new members through preaching, crusades and door-to-door evangelism combined with practical outreach such as providing food and clothing to people in need.

United Methodists denied entry to Israel

Thu, 20 Aug 2026 12:43:46 -0500

Four United Methodists were among an interfaith delegation of U.S. citizens who were turned back when they tried to cross the border into Israel for a visit with Holy Land Christians.

Highland Park pastors, conference address suit

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 16:45:56 -0500

Highland Park United Methodist Church’s current senior minister and his predecessor are speaking out about the lawsuit filed by the Horizon Texas Conference. Meanwhile, the conference added more information to its suit about the issues under dispute.

Celebrating 25 years of Native dance, art and friendship

Wed, 19 Aug 2026 10:48:46 -0500

Annual Native Moccasins Rock event attracts Native American and non-Native participants seeking to better understand and recover Indigenous skills and stories.